Transfer device for rib border knitting machines

ABSTRACT

A transfer device for rib border knitting machines of the type having a sinking comb having means for imparting to the latter rotating movements about a first axis and about a second axis which may be shifted about the first axis.

Inventor Karel Bernard Marie Bruelemans Gentbrugge, Belgium App]. No.6,482

Filed Jan. 28, 1970 Patented Jan. 11, 1972 Assignee Fabrique NationaleDArmes De Guerre,

Societe Anonyme Herstallez-Liege, Belgium Priority Feb. 9, 1969 Belgium728.048

TRANSFER DEVICE FOR R1]! BORDER KNITTING MACHINES 5 Claims, 8 DrawingFigs.

U.S. Cl 66/148 Int. Cl

[50] Field of Search 66/148 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS2,186,023 1/1940 Howie 66/148 3,401,539 9/1968 Duncan... 66/1483,349,576 10/1967 Borne 66/148 3,446,042 5/1969 Fontaine 66/148 PrimaryExaminer Ronald Feldbaum Attorney-Richards & Geier ABSTRACT: A transferdevice for rib border knitting machines of the type having a sinkingcomb having means for imparting to the latter rotating movements about afirst axis and about a second axis which may be shifted about the firstaXlS.

PATENTEDJANI 1 I912 3.633385 SHEET 2 OF 5 ATTQILNE35 PATENTEI] JMH 1 B72SHEET 3 OF 5 INVEALTOR. K. 8., Bruelcmano OLAMQrs sf-B aisaalassPATENTED JAN] 1 I972 SHEET 5' [IF 5 INVENTOR. N. 5 I'UC )eman;

Gbwa gw ATT'o KNEBS TRANSFER DEVICE FOR RIB BORDER KNITTING MACHINESThis invention relates to a transfer device for rib border knittingmachines. In hosiery, it is customary to knit rib borders on two needlebed knitting machines especially intended therefor and then to transferthe so knitted rib borders by means of magazine-combs on a jerseymachine, e.g., of the Cotton type.

Devices have already been proposed for automatically sinking the ribborders knitted on said two needle bed machine to bring them in waitingposition on one or several magazinecombs. Such devices may be classifiedinto two groups according as the magazine-comb itself effects thesinking or, contrarily, said magazine-comb is held momentarilystationary, the sinking feeding the magazine-comb. In a known device ofthis second group including also the device according to the presentinvention, the shifting of said sinking comb was effected throughsuitable rotating and traversing control means, In accordance with veryextensive studies of the applicant, it has been found that such shiftingof the sinking comb could cause difficulties as regards to adjustmentand accordingly a workability subjected to some variations.

Consequently, a primary object of the invention is to pro vide atransfer device of the intended type through which the above shortcomingis avoided.

Another object of the invention is to provide means allowing toperfectly control the rib borders stored on the magazine-comb until thelatter is removed. In fact, it has been observed that some difficultiescould arise from the resilient nature of the rib borders and thestresses introduced therein when they were knitted. According to thisinvention, these objects are reached by a transfer device of thedisclosed type and characterized in that it is provided with meansimparting, in due time, to said transfer comb, rotating movements abouta first axis and a second axis which may be also shifted about the firstaxis. Preferably, said means comprise two levers keyed on the first axisand supporting the second axis, the shiftings of the sinking comb beingdriven from a cam shaft through at least one set of levers one of whichis integral with the first axis, while another, bearing said transfercomb, is pivoted on the second axis.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the transfer devicecomprises additionally and in association with said magazine-comb, arotating transfer means which is brought between the teeth of themagazine-comb and also those ofthe sinking comb when the latter isbrought in front of the former. In addition, it will be advantageous toprovide an angularly shiftable member associated with said magazine-comband driving back the rib borders transferred on the magazinecomb towardsthe bottom thereof, while holding them therein.

These and other features of the invention will be more clearly apparentfrom the detailed description of an embodiment disclosed hereafter byway of illustration and without any limitation, reference being made tothe attached drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic vertical section of a knitting machine providedwith the transfer device according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the main elements ofthetransfer device according to FIG. 1, together with the driving meansthereof:

FIG. 3 is a view, on an enlarged scale, of the upper portion of thedevice shown in FIG. 1 in one of its characteristic positions;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to that of FIG. 3, the device being in anothercharacteristic disposition;

FIG. 5 is a view, on an enlarged scale, of the members represented bythe dash-dot line F5 on FIG. 4;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are respectively sections on the lines VIVI and VIIVIIofFlG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a section on the line VIIIVIII of FIG. 7.

The illustrated machine comprises a frame 1 supporting two needle bedsinclined towards each other and represented respectively in 2 and 3,each of said needle beds comprising needles actuated by conventionallocks (not shown).

The transfer device comprises principally a magazine-comb 5 suppliedwith rib borders by a sinking comb 6, the latter sinking the last loopcourse suspended from needles 4 of bed 2, said needles being, for thispurpose, brought into high position by a control bar 7.

The magazine-comb 5 is momentarily keyed on a support 8 carried by twobent levers 9 and 10, the latter being respectively pivoted about anaxis 11. The levers 9 and 10 may be angularly shifted about the axis 11through a set of articulated levers l2 and 13, said set being pivotednear its middle portion about an axis 14, the other end of said lever 13carrying a roller 15 sliding on the profile ofa cam 16 of the camshaft17,

The sinking comb 6 is supported by the ends of two bent levers l8 and 19pivoting each near their middle areas about an axis 20. The latter iscarried by the ends of two profiled levers 21-22 which are integral withan axis 23. An angular shifting of levers 21 and 22 may be controlled bya suitable rotation of axis 23, namely by means of a set of levers24-25, the lever 25, pivoted on axis 14, carrying a roller 26 sliding ona cam 27 of the camshaft 17. An additional angular movement of thesinking comb 6 about axis 20 may be controlled by a set of levers28293031, the latter being pivoted on a shaft 14 and carrying a roller32 sliding on a cam 33 of the camshaft 17.

The control member 7 of needles 4 comprises a U-shaped profile carriedat the end of a bent lever 34 pivoted about an axis 35. The latter iscarried at the end of a bent lever 36 pivoted about an axis 37. Anangular shifting may be imparted to lever 36 by means ofa set oflevers38 and 39, the latter carrying a roller 40 sliding on a cam 41 of thecamshaft 17. Similarly, an angular shifting about axis 35 may beimparted to lever 34 by means of a set of levers 42, 43, 44 and 45, thelatter carrying a roller 46 sliding on a cam 47 of the camshaft 17.

With the magazine-comb 5, is associated a transfer member comprising acomb 48 carried by a support 49 which may rotate about an axis 50carried by the support 49. The rotation of the support 49 about axis 50is controlled by a series of endless chains or belts 51, 52, 53, thelatter driving a pulley 54 integral with the axis 50. The sizes of saidmembers are such that, when the support 49 is rotated, the teeth of comb48 are between the teeth of sinking comb 6 which is brought in front ofthe magazine-comb 5 to drive back the loops carried by the comb 6 on theteeth of said comb 5. The comb 48 is in a waiting position in which thepoints or the needles of the magazine-comb are kept in their positiondefined by the gauge so that the sinking comb is applied correctly uponthe points.

With the view of retaining the so transferred rib borders 55, there isprovided a rotating member comprising a brush 56 mounted at the end of asupport 57 integral with an axis 58 carried at the end of an arm 59integral with the support 49.

A pinion 60 is keyed on axis 58. Near said pinion, the axis 58 carries ahub 61 surrounded with a casing 62 housing a coil spring 63 one end 64of which is integral with said casing, the other end 65 being hooked upin a groove provided therefor in said hub 61. A pawl 66 pivoted on aside face of said casing 62 may cooperate with the teeth of said pinion60. A cord 67 fastened at one of its ends on the casing 62 is woundabout the latter and it is fastened at its other end to a stationaryportion ofthe machine.

The above-described device operates substantially as follows: When theknitting of a rib border is completed, the programming device of themachine drives the camshaft 17, thereby bringing member 7 in activeposition, i.e., a position in which the profiled bar is covering butts68 provided therefor on the needles 4. The member 7 is then shiftedupwardly to bring the needles 4 in high position. Simultaneously, thesinking comb 6 comes near the needles 4, thereby sinking the loopssuspended therefrom. The needles 4 are then lowered, while the comb 6raises and is directed towards the magazinecomb 5. The latter is broughtin a substantially horizontal position to receive the rib border carriedby the sinking comb, the transfer of said rib border of one comb to theother being effected by the rotation of said transfer comb 48. Throughthe shifting of levers 9, a rotation is imparted to axis 58, thus alsoto brush 56 which is brought behind the rib border during the transferrelative to the magazine-comb.

By means of this arrangement, the device operates perfectly, whereby,the stored rib borders are not likely to interfere with the operation ofthe other members of the common device or the machine.

It is apparent that the above-described device may be modified invarious ways without departing from the scope of the invention asdefined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A transfer device for rib border knitting machines of the typewherein a sinking comb is shifted for sinking upon the needles of onebed, the last loop course ofa rib border being then brought in front ofamagazine comb, the rib border being then transferred from said sinkingcomb to said magazine comb, the device comprising means imparting tosaid sinking comb rotating movements about a first axle and a secondaxle which may be shifted about the first axle, said means comprisingtwo levers keyed on said first axle and carrying said second axle, acamshaft and at least one set of levers, one of the lastmentioned leversbeing integral with said first axle, another one of the last-mentionedlevers being pivoted on said second axle and carrying the sinking comb,the shiftings of the sinking comb being controlled from said camshaftthrough said set of levers.

2. A transfer device according to claim 1, characterized in that itcomprises additionally and in association with said magazine-comb, arotating means, namely, a transfer comb brought between the teeth or thepoints of the magazine-comb and also those of the sinking comb, when thelatter is brought in front of the former.

3. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprisesadditionally and in association with said magazinecomb, an angularlyshiftable member provided for driving back the rib borders transferredon said magazine-comb towards the bottom thereoffor holding themtherein.

4. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprisesadditionally a member bringing the needles of one bed in high positionprior to the sinking operation of said sinking comb, said device beingdriven by a lever set from said camshaft.

5. A transfer device for rib border knitting machines of the typewherein a sinking comb is shifted for sinking upon the needles of onebed, the last loop course of a rib border being then brought in frontofa magazine comb, the rib border being then transferred from saidsinking comb to said magazine comb, the device comprising meansimparting to said sinking comb rotating movements about a first axle anda second axle which may be shifted about the first axle, an angularlyshiftable member associated with the magazine comb for driving back therib borders transferred on said magazine comb toward the bottom thereoffor holding them therein, said member comprising a brush; a shiftingcontrol system, resilient means cooperating with said shifting controlsystem, and an axle integral with said brush and rotated by the shiftingof the magazine comb through the intermediary of said resilient means.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION 3,633,385 DatedJanuary 1.1., 1972 Karel Bernard Marie Bruelemana Patent No.

Inventor(s) It is certified that error appears in the above-identifiedpatent and that said Letters Patentare hereby corrected as shown below:

On the cover sheet [32] the priority date "February 9 M69" should readFebruary 7, 1969 Signed and sealed this 7th day of November 19728 (SEAL).Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GO'IISCHALK Attesting Officer Commissionerof Patents ORM PO-1050-(10-69) h n.5, covsmmzrn PRINTING nrFIcE was0366-33a.

1. A transfer device for rib border knitting machines of the typewherein a sinking comb is shifted for sinking upon the needles of onebed, the last loop course of a rib border being then brought in front ofa magazine comb, the rib border being then transferred from said sinkingcomb to said magazine comb, the device comprising means imparting tosaid sinking comb rotating movements about a first axle and a secondaxle which may be shifted about the first axle, said means comprisingtwo levers keyed on said first axle and carrying said second axle, acamshaft and at least one set of levers, one of the lastmentioned leversbeing integral with said first axle, another one of the last-mentionedlevers being pivoted on said second axle and carrying the sinking comb,the shiftings of the sinking comb being controlled from said camshaftthrough said set of levers.
 2. A transfer device according to claim 1,characterized in that it comprises additionally and in association withsaid magazine-comb, a rotating means, namely, a transfer comb broughtbetween the teeth or the points of the magazine-comb and also those ofthe sinking comb, when the latter is brought in front of the former. 3.A device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprisesadditionally and in association with said magazine-comb, an angularlyshiftable member provided for driving back the rib borders transferredon said magazine-comb towards the bottom thereof for holding themtherein.
 4. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that itcomprises additionally a member bringing the needles of one bed in highposition prior to the sinking operation of said sinking comb, saiddevice being driven by a lever set from said camshaft.
 5. A transferdevice for rib border knitting machines of the type wherein a sinkingcomb is shifted for sinking upon the needles of one bed, the last loopcourse of a rib border being then brought in front of a magazine comb,the rib border being then transferred from said sinking comb to saidmagazine comb, the device comprising means imparting to said sinkingcomb rotating movements about a first axle and a second axle which maybe shifted about the first axle, an angularly shiftable memberassociated with the magazine comb for driving back the rib borderstransferred on said magazine comb toward the bottom thereof for holdingthem therein, said member comprising a brush; a shifting control system,resilient means cooperating with said shifting control system, and anaxle integral with said brush and rotated by the shifting of themagazine comb through the intermediary of said resilient means.